Vacuum cleaner



Nov. s, 1938. L, B V RHE 2,135,927

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 2'7, 1929 INVENTOR.

leonarfi l oorizeexs ATTORNE .5,

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM CLEANERApplication February 27, 1929, Serial No. 343,099

7 Claims.

improved air filtering and dust collecting system for such cleaners;this system contemplating the use of a bag consisting of a pocket whichI 'functions primarily as a. dust receiver, a pocket which functionsprimarily as an air-filter, and an intermediate inlet opening, suchopening being so arranged or positioned relatively to such pockets thatthe dust and dirt separated from the initially introduced air willremain practically undisturbed by the air currents developed during thesubsequent operation of the machine.'

At present, the air filtering and dust collecting bags of portablevacuum cleaners are usually provided with a bottom opening through whichthe dust-laden air enters, and an adjacent pocket in which the separateddust collects. In time, and especially if the collecting bag is tooinfrequently emptied, the smallness of the dust-containing pocket willforce the accumulated material to amass in such close proximity to theinlet opening that the entrance of additional air will be impeded andthe entrapped dust and dirt cumulations contiguous to the inlet openingor in surrounding relation to its collapsible tube valve aredetrimental, as on the one hand they result in impairing the efflciencyof the suction system and as on the other hand they result in theimpactive pulverization of the collected dirt, such first effectbecoming apparent when the machine fails to clean satisfactorily andsuch second eifect becoming apparent when fine particles of dust beginto escape through the meshes or pores of the bag. If the collecting bagis made of cloth, or if such bag is openable, the abovementioned effectscombine to make necessary an all too frequent emptying of the bagcontents, 40 and if the bag is of the permanently closed paper variety,such effects make necessary its too frequent renewal or replacement.

My invention, with the object of avoiding the objectionable consequenceof present bag arrangements, contemplates providing an improved baghaving a combined filtering and collecting pocket located out of thepath of the currents of entering air and in downwardly spacedrelation'to a second and preferably somewhat larger pocket whichdesirably functions exclusively as a filter, it being'intended that suchfirst-named pocket shall accumulate the dust and dirt separated from theintermediately incoming air by such second named pocket and such partsof the 55' first-named pocket as are not inactive as filters kept-inalmost continuous suspension. Such acbecause of the material alreadycollected. As compared with the present bags, my invention presents 'theadvantages of an increased holding capacity obtained without materialdetriment to the efiiciency of the cleaner; the entrapped dirt 5 afterhaving once settled remains practically quiescent and is not agitated ordisturbed by the incoming air; bag leakage due to impact pulverizationof the collected material is avoided; accumulations contiguous to theinlet opening are 10 eliminated; and finally, satisfactory operation ofthe cleaner over longer periods of time is insured.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the 15 means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and thefollowing description .setting forth in detailcertain structureembodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, 20 however,but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of theinvention mav be used.

In said annexed drawing:-

Fig. l-is a side elevational view of a vacuum 25 tached paper liner ofthe type particularly showrn 30 in the preceding figures.

For purposes of illustration, my invention is here shown in associationwith a standard vacuum cleaner which consists ofa wheeled floor toolII), a lower handle I I, an upper handle I2, an 35 intervening valvecasing l3, a fan chamber l4, and a wheel supported motor housing IS. Arotary valve I6 is so arranged/in the valve casing l3 that air may bedrawn ,through either the handle II or the handle ii, the former ofsuchv 40 handles communicating with the floor tool l0 and the latter ofsuch handles being adapted for connection with accessory cleaningdevices, such as brushes, nozzles, etc. A fan casing discharge pipe I1is adapted for directing the dust-laden air sucked in through either ofthe handles into a confined porous paper collecting receptacle whichfunctions to remove the entrained solid material by filtering thecarrying air through its porous Walls.

When embodied in a machine of the type just described, my inventioncontemplates extending the discharge pipe I1 by means of a suitable tubel8, such tube making an air-tight connection with a discharge pipethrough a ferrule or the like II and having .its distal end attached asby a clamp 20 to the handle 12. Associated with the tube 18 is an airfiltering and dust entrapplng receptacle 2!, this receptacle desirablycomprising an outer sustaining fabric bag 22 and an inner porous paperbag 28, the former acting to confine and protect the paper liner, andthe latter (as above stated) acting to filter out the commingled dust"and permit the purifiedair to ,escape into the atmosphere. The bag 21,as best shown in Fig. 3, is desirably constituted a suitably folded andstitched paper sheet to the cleaners handle.

' 24, one side or edge of the enclosure so formed having been cut awayor removed to form an inlet sented even when the accomulations of dustand dirt become elfective to diminish the filtering capacity of thelower walls deflningthe collecting pocket. a

The ,outer fabric bag 22 in general has the same shape as the enclosedpaper bag 23. but its upper edge 29 is desirably formed with a slit oropening 30, such slit permitting of the insertion and removal of paperliners and having its lips or edges reinforced by suitable bars orstrips ii.

The inner sides of the edges of the slit ll are adapted for closingovera flap I2, and their outer sides are provided with a plurality ofeyes 33, such flap being intended for folding over the inclosed paperliner and such eyes being intended for attaching the assembled bag unitSecured within the mouth 34 of the bag 22 is a tube 35 which has itsinner end provided ,with a curved deflector or baiile 16 and its outerend formed into a conhector 31, such deflector serving to .direct theincoming air downwardly or towards or in the general directionof thecollecting pocket of the inner liner, and such connector serving toaflord a part with which the clamp I! may ooact when the bag-assembly isbeing arranged in operative relation to the tube ll.

When a paper liner is to beinserted within its confining bag, the slitIt is first opened, and then such liner is positioned, and its neck isslid over or telescoped with the deflector I, such neck being held insuch relation by means of a resilient or elastic band or the like. Theseoperations being completed, the flap 32 is then folded over the. upperedge of the collecting pocket of the inner bag and the lips of the slitin the outer bag are brought together. when assembled, the

filtering and collecting unit may be connected with the cleaner byslipping the eyes 33 and I! over the respective tube and handle-hooks lland ll, and byoperating the clamp 38 to secure the connector 31 to thetube ll. so prepared, is ready foroperation in the usual manner.Accordingly, the motor may be started and the cleaner moved about overthe pile of a The machine as entering the pocket 21 of the bag 28; thedust bearing air strikes the deflector and is thereby given a turn inthe direction ofthe pocket 2|,

the solid component of the entering stream finally coming to rest insuch pocket, and the airin' the meantime filtering through the'pores ormeshes of the inner bag and thus escaping into the outer atmosphere.Before any considerable quantity of dust and dirt has been collected,the entire inner surface of the liner functions as a filter, but as thequantity of separated material increases and the lower pocketaccumulatesadditional dust and dirt, the filtering effectiveness of the wallsdefining the collecting pocket becomes progressively less andcorrespondingly the walls of the upper pocket become more active, theirlarger -area and comparative freedom from accumulations enabling them toeiiiciently perform their intended functions under the increased loadthus imposed. 'The inner bag'may, if desired, be provided with anopening through which the collected material can be emptied, butpreferably this bag has no such opening, the entire liner and itsaccumulations being'removed as a unit from the outer bag and burned orotherwise dlsposedof, a new liner being then inserted in the mannerhereinbefore explained.

- Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be'employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1.. In a vacuum cleaner, a collecting bag having an enlarged upperportion and a reduced lower portion, a delivery conduitlying alongsidesaid reduced portion and entering said bag intermediately oi saidenlarged and reduced portions, and

' a'deflector associated with the terminal of said delivery conduitinteriorly of said enlarged portion,'and adapted to direct the incomingair cur-' rent in the direction oi said reduced lower portion. 2. In avacuum cleaner, a collecting bag having a filtering pocket and acollecting pocket, an oifset in the wall of said bag intermediately ofsaid pockets, a delivery conduit lying along the wall oi. said bag andpassing through said wall in said onset, and a deflector associated withthe 0 terminal of said delivery conduit.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, an integral air filterlns and dust collectingbag one end portion of which comprises a filtering pocket and theopposite end portion of which comprises a dust collecting pocket, anonset in the side edge of the bag intermediate said pockets, andadelivery conduit extending along the outside of the collecting pocketand entering said filtering pocket through said onset, its discharge enddirected away from the w collecting pocket.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, an integral air filtering and dust collectingbag one end portion of which comprises a filtering pocket and theopposite end portion of which comprises a dust collecting e5 pocket, anonset in the side edge of the bag intermediate said pockets, formed witha mouth,

and a delivery conduit extending along the outside of the collectingpocket and detachably connected to said mouth to discharge away from 7portion of which comprises a collecting pocket, an 7 dust collectorcomprising an inner porous paper oflset in the side edge of the bagintermediate said pockets, formed with a mouth, and a delivery conduitdetachably connected to said mouth and positioned to discharge away fromsaid collecting pocket into said filtering pocket.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, an integral air filtering and dust collectingbag of porous paper one end portion of which comprises a filteringpocket and the opposite end portion of which comprises a collectingpocket, an ofiset in the side edge of the bag intermediate said pockets,formed with a mouth, an outer bag of relatively strong porous material,enclosing and sustaining said paper bag, and a delivery conduitdetachably connected to said mouth and positioned to direct itsdischarge away from said collecting pocket into the filtering pocket.

7. In a vacuum cleaner having a handle, a

bag and an outer bag of relatively strong porous material enclosingandsupporting said inner bag, each of said bags having one side edgecomposed ofnonaligned edge portions separated by an offset, the endportions of the bags on one side of said ofisets comprising filteringpockets and the

